Electrical work can be dangerous. If you don’t have any idea what to do or where to start, you need to hire an electrician to take care of any electrical needs you have. You don’t want to get injured due to not having enough knowledge. Don’t let electrical work scare you, there are some projects homeowners can do on their own. For example, you can change out light switches, receptacles, and light housings. Make sure you switch off the breaker to the electrical circuit you are working on before you start any project.
What is a GFCI outlet?
Do you know the outlets with the test and reset buttons? Those are GFCI outlets. GFCI stands for ground fault circuit interrupter. These outlets are used in wet areas of a home like a kitchen and bathroom. This outlet works by killing the power to the circuit if it senses a difference in the outgoing and incoming current. These outlets help prevent electric shock due to faults.
What’s the difference between a fuse and a breaker?
Fuses and breakers perform similarly. They disrupt the flow of power when there is a fault in the system. The major difference between a fuse and a breaker is that when a fuse trips, it needs to be replaced. When a breaker trips, it can be easily reset. That is why breakers are used more than fuses.
Why is my breaker tripping?
Have you lost power in a section of your home and when you go to your panel to check you see a breaker has been tripped? That is an electrical panels way of keeping you safe. When there is too much load on the circuit, the breaker will trip. The breaker trips to prevent your wiring from overheating.
How do I reset a tripped breaker?
- Locate the electrical panel and open the cover.
- A tripped breaker will be in the “off” position, or somewhere between “on” and “off”.
- Reset the breaker by moving it to the full “off” position and then back to the “on” position.
- This should restore power.
If the breaker trips again, it could be because too many things are plugged into the circuit, damaged wires, bad switch, or faulty wiring. If it keeps tripping, call a
licensed electrician
to troubleshoot the issue for you.
Should I upgrade my 100 amp to 200-amp service?
Most older homes have 100-amp electrical panels. There wasn’t as much power being used then as there is now. New technology has increased the amount of amps homeowners need for all the new appliances and devices. It is worth the money to upgrade your service to a 200 amp to make sure you have enough power when you need it.
It is best to have an electrician do the upgrade.
Call us
today to schedule a panel upgrade.
Now that we have answered some of the most asked electrical questions, your next move should be to contact a licensed electrician for upgrading or repairing anything electrical. You could worsen your issue or make a bigger problem if you try to fix it on your own.
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